


pulses can drive from here

by zachas



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Not Hockey Player(s), Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, also college and growing up as plot points, college related angst, driving as a plot point
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 10:50:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15071621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zachas/pseuds/zachas
Summary: “God, sometimes I wish I could just getoutof here,” Miles says. “Just fucking, get into a car and hop onto the highway and see where the road takes me.” He closes his eyes, holds a hand out like he’s picturing it in his head. “That would be something, wouldn’t it, Stevie?”Steve watches Miles’ long eyelashes flutter gently against his cheeks, and the little ache in Steve’s chest is far from something new, but it still hurts.“You know, you could probably do that if you just learned how to fucking drive,” Steve says.“But I’d have you,” Miles says, with his eyes closed, still, like it’s obvious. “Duh.”





	pulses can drive from here

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [stevenstamkos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stevenstamkos/pseuds/stevenstamkos) in the [PuckingRare2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/PuckingRare2018) collection. 



> **Prompt:**  
>     
> Any pairing, any kind of high school or college AU
> 
> thanks to steph for cheering me on through this and thanks to amy for the betaing, as always! i love y'all.
> 
> if you don't know anything about steve and miles, they're both on the devils and they used to play at bc together. i love them and i'll fill this whole damn tag by myself if i need to.
> 
> sidenote: i do know that bc actually has early action and not early decision, but i decided to make it early decision in here because it added more to the story that way and creative license.
> 
> title from 400 lux by lorde.

The night before the first day of senior year, Steve gets a text from Miles. 

_picking me up 2morrow morning? :)_

_no,_ Steve texts back. _learn how to drive_

 _:(((((((((,_ Miles replies. 

_i thought you said you were gonna get your license over the summer,_ Steve sends. 

_yeahhhhh but i was lazy,_ Miles sends back. _c’mon please? don’t make me take the fucking bus dude_

 _fine,_ Steve says.

 _ur the best bro!!_ Miles texts, and then follows it with a bunch of smiley emojis.

Steve bites back a smile and puts his phone away.

\---

The next morning, Miles stumbles into Steve’s car with his eyes barely open and his hair sticking up in messy spikes. 

“Morning,” he mumbles.

“Your hair’s a mess,” Steve says. 

“God, I hate school,” Miles says. “Do we have time to stop for coffee? Please say we have time to stop for coffee.”

“Look at the cupholder, dumbass,” Steve says.

“Oh my god, I love you,” Miles says, grabbing the cup of coffee out of the cupholder.

Steve keeps his eyes focused on the road. “I just didn’t want to deal with you being a zombie, that’s all,” he says.

“Good call,” Miles says.

\---

The problem, Steve thinks, is this.

They sit outside at lunch, because they might as well take advantage of the nice weather while they can, and Miles is talking really heatedly about something — something about the transfer student from Switzerland who is in far too many of Miles’ senior classes for a _freshman,_ what the fuck — complete with enthusiastic gesturing and all. And it’s like, Steve can hear him speaking, can see the words coming out of his mouth, but he doesn’t hear them at all, really, preoccupied with watching the way Miles’ hair turns to gold under the warm sunlight, and like, god. He’s so fucked.

You’re not supposed to fall for your best friend, you know. It’s not good for the heart.

 

(It happened like this:

It’s June, and it’s junior year, and they’ve finally finished all of their final exams, so they go to town to hang out and revel in their test-free future. Or really, their test-free next three months, but whatever. Same thing.

Steve doesn’t really remember exactly what they did, everything blurred together in a mix of licking melted ice cream off his fingers and lying on the grass and walking around in the summer sun in his head, but what Steve does remember is the drive back, the cool air streaming in through the rolled-down windows of his car, the tired, lingering ache in his legs, the pale pink-purple of the sky as the sun dips below the horizon.

And then there’s Miles, in the passenger seat, with his eyes closed against the evening breeze and his face lit up in the soft rays of the setting sun, and —

Steve thought he’d be able to get over it by now.)

\---

As much as the whole Miles thing is a problem, Steve doesn’t really have the time to deal with it. He’s scrambling, trying to finish up his college essays so he can apply early to BC, so he doesn’t have time for anything, really. 

“I hate this so much,” Steve says, staring at his essay on his laptop screen. 

Miles makes a sympathetic noise from the other side of Steve’s bed, where he’s trying to do his English reading. “Me too, man.”

Steve glances at him. “You applying early to anywhere, Miles?”

Miles turns a page in his book. “Dunno,” he says. 

“You should decide soon,” Steve says. “Deadline’s coming up, you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” Miles says.

Steve sighs and closes his laptop. “Fuck this,” he says. “I gotta work on something else.”

He’s halfway through his math homework when Miles closes his book and flops down dramatically on the bed. And on top of Steve’s homework. 

“God, sometimes I wish I could just get _out_ of here,” Miles says. “Just fucking, get into a car and hop onto the highway and see where the road takes me.” He closes his eyes, holds a hand out like he’s picturing it in his head. “That would be something, wouldn’t it, Stevie?”

Steve watches Miles’ long eyelashes flutter gently against his cheeks, and the little ache in Steve’s chest is far from something new, but it still hurts.

“You know, you could probably do that if you just learned how to fucking drive,” Steve says.

“But I’d have you,” Miles says, with his eyes closed, still, like it’s obvious. “Duh.” 

Steve swallows and looks away. 

“I’m not gonna roadtrip with you if you don’t know how to drive,” he says. “I drive you around enough as it is.”

“But you would if I learned how to drive?” Miles says, sitting up quickly.

“I never said that,” Steve says.

“You implied it,” Miles says.

“No I didn’t,” Steve says.

“Yes you did,” Miles says, and he’s grinning now, that grin he always gets when he’s got a stupid idea in his head. “Okay, if I learn how to drive by the end of senior year, you’re going on a roadtrip with me. You just said you would.”

“I really didn’t,” Steve says.

“Awww, c’mon Steve,” Miles says. “Please?”

Steve hesitates.

“If you say yes, I’ll learn how to drive, and you can finally stop bitching at me about it,” Miles wheedles. “And I’ll finally pay you back all that gas money I owe you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Steve says.

“I will, though,” Miles says. “Please?”

“I… fine.”

Miles fistpumps. “Yes!”

Steve wants to roll his eyes at him, but he laughs despite himself.

“Get off of my homework,” he says, giving Miles’ shoulder a little shove. “Some of us here actually want to do our homework, believe it or not.”

“Alright, alright, geez,” Miles says, moving to the other side of the bed, but he’s still smiling.

 

“Hey, Steve?” Miles says a little while later.

“Yeah?”

“Can you teach me how to drive?”

Steve chucks a pillow at Miles’ face, and he ducks out of the way, giggling.

“You’re the worst,” Steve says.

“That’s not a no,” Miles points out.

“The worst,” Steve says again, and Miles laughs.

\---

“If you scratch my car I _will_ kill you,” Steve warns him as he slides into the passenger seat.

Miles laughs, tapping his fingers against the side of the steering wheel. “I won’t, I promise.”

The lesson actually goes pretty well, to Steve’s surprise. They’re driving around a calm neighborhood with nice, wide streets and stop signs at almost every intersection, so it’s not like a lot could go wrong, but still. 

“Dude, you really should try to get your license,” Steve says. “Like seriously, what’s stopping you?”

“I dunno,” Miles shrugs. “I’m lazy.” He goes for another turn, but he comes too close to the sidewalk and clips the curb. 

“Miles!” Steve screeches. “Oh my god, if you scratched it, I swear to god —”

Miles laughs.

\---

Steve busts his ass trying to finish up his application before BC’s early decision deadline, but thankfully, he gets it in on time. 

“I know I still have to work on my regular decision apps just in case, but man, I’m so glad I got that over with,” Steve says to Miles on the way back home. 

“Mm,” says Miles. 

“Hey, did you ever decide if you were gonna apply early anywhere?” Steve asks idly. 

“... Yeah,” Miles says.

“Where’d you apply to, then?” Steve asks.

“BC,” Miles says quietly.

Steve snaps his head around and looks at him. “What?” he says, a little too loud. 

Miles swallows. “I don’t know, I —”

“Have you even visited BC?” Steve asks, his voice surprisingly calm. “Done any research on it at all?”

Miles stares down at his hands.

“Well? Have you?” Steve presses, but he already knows the answer. 

“I knew you were gonna be mad,” Miles mumbles to his knees. 

“You knew that _I_ was gonna be — Jesus, Miles, this is your fucking _future!”_ Steve yells. “Why would you even — do you even know if BC is early decision or early action?”

“Does it matter?” Miles says. 

“Are you _kidding_ me?” Steve says incredulously. “Yes it fucking matters! Miles, if they accept you, you’ve just committed the next four years of your life to a university you don’t know jack shit about! Doesn’t that matter to you?”

Miles doesn’t say anything. 

“God, you’re so stupid,” Steve says, and he’s said it before, but he means it now. “Why would you do that? What if you hate it there? What are you gonna do?”

“I don’t know I just — I wanted to stay with you,” Miles says, and that’s —

Steve bites hard on his lip to keep an ugly laugh from spilling out of his mouth. 

_You don’t get to say this fucking romcom bullshit to me,_ he wants to say. _You’re not even my fucking —_

“Steve?” Miles asks tentatively.

Steve pulls into Miles’ driveway with a jerk. “We’re here,” he says. 

“Steve, I —” Miles says.

“Just _go,_ Miles,” Steve says, and suddenly, he’s exhausted.

Miles obliges, scurrying out of the passenger side door. Steve waits for him, just like he always does, waits for him to walk up the driveway and fumble with his keys, waits for him to unlock the door and walk in.

Steve stares at Miles’ house for another minute. Then he turns back, ready to drive away, but instead, he just leans forward and rests his head on the center of the steering wheel. 

“Fuck,” Steve says, closing his eyes. _“Fuck.”_

\---

The next day is a Saturday, which means Steve doesn’t have to see Miles because they don’t have school, which is… he doesn’t know if that’s good or bad. They’ve never had a fight like this before, and honestly, Steve doesn’t know what to do.

Every now and then, Steve pulls his phone out, tries to think of something to write to Miles, tries to draft an apology text, maybe, but he can’t. Like, what could he say?

_hey miles, i’m sorry for yelling at you because you’re a fucking dumbass who’s incapable of thinking about the consequences of your actions._

Yeah, no. He’s still mad. 

So Steve doesn’t text Miles. And Miles doesn’t text Steve either. 

\---

 _i took the bus,_ Miles texts Steve on Monday morning. _jsyk._

Steve stares down at his phone. Then he goes to his car and drives to school alone.

He and Miles don’t actually have that many classes together, something they’d both whined about a lot at the beginning of the year, but Steve’s grateful for it now. Which is not something he ever thought he’d ever feel, but here he is. 

Steve spots a table with Damon and Pavel and Stef and a few more of his other not-Miles-Wood friends at lunch, and he almost sits with them, but before he can, Miles slides into the seat next to Stef, so Steve keeps walking and heads out of the cafeteria.

He ends up eating alone on the bench outside of the library. He finishes his food pretty quickly without Miles there to talk to him and distract him, so he hangs out in the library for the rest of lunch, getting a head start on his homework. 

The same thing happens on Tuesday. And Wednesday.

Steve’s working on some homework in the library again on Thursday when Damon sits down across the table.

“Hey Steve,” he says.

“Hey Sevs,” Steve says, staring down at his math homework.

“You wanna tell me why you’ve been avoiding everyone and why Miles has been moping around like a sad puppy all week?” Damon asks.

“I haven’t been avoiding everyone,” Steve mumbles.

“So just Miles, then?” Damon says. 

Steve bites his lip.

“Seriously, what happened?” Damon asks.

“It’s just a stupid fight,” Steve says. “It doesn’t matter.”

“You guys never fight,” Damon says. “It’s gotta be something serious.”

Steve stares at him. Damon stares back.

Steve sighs and pushes his homework away. “He applied early to BC,” he says finally.

“Oh,” Damon says. “I didn’t know he was looking at BC.”

“He wasn’t,” Steve says. “He doesn’t know anything about BC. He did it because I was applying there.”

“Seriously?” Damon says.

“Yeah,” Steve says, fiddling with his pencil. “And then I got mad and yelled at him for being a fucking moron and not thinking about his future, and then he said he only did it because he wanted to stay with me, and then I told him to get out of my car.”

“Shit, Steve,” Damon says.

“Yeah, I know,” Steve says. “I just — I can’t fucking deal with him sometimes, Sevs. He’s my best friend, but sometimes he says some… some stupid shit, or he does something like applying early to a school he doesn’t know anything about just because he wants to be with me and I just — it’s hard to deal with that, you know?” Steve stares down at his hands. “And I… I like him a lot, so. It’s hard.”

Damon’s quiet for a long moment.

“You know he’s crazy about you, right?” he says.

Steve laughs. “Who, Miles?”

“Yeah,” Damon says, and then, when Steve laughs again, “I’m serious, Steve.”

“What, has he told you?” Steve says.

“No, but like, anyone who looks at you two can tell,” Damon says. “He never smiles as much as he does when he’s around you,”

“That’s because I’m his best friend,” Steve says.

“It’s more than that,” Damon insists.

Steve shakes his head. “I don’t think so, man,” he says.

Damon makes a frustrated noise. “Well — you should talk to him, Steve. Not about like… any of this stuff if you don’t want to but like, you can’t avoid him forever, you know. And he’s pretty miserable to be around right now, so —”

Steve sighs. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Thank you,” Damon says.

\---

Steve doesn’t get the chance to talk to him on Friday, but he promises himself he’ll do it on Monday.

\---

Steve is jolted awake by an incessant buzzing in his ear. 

He fumbles around in the pitch black of his room until he finds his phone and picks up the call. 

“Hello?” he mumbles.

“Hey Steve-o,” Miles says quietly.

“Miles?” Steve sits up on his bed. “Shit, are you okay? What time is it?”

“Like, three in the morning?” Miles says. He’s definitely slurring a little. “Or maybe four. Something like that. Um. So I know we’re not really talking, but —”

“Where are you?” Steve asks. “Shit, I can't see anything, where the fuck did I put my keys —”

“Wait, what — what are you doing?” Miles says. 

“You’re drunk and you need me to pick you up, right?” Steve says. “Where are you?”

There's a little pause at the other end of the line. “Um, Blake’s house,” Miles says finally. 

“Oh, I know where that is,” Steve says. “Alright, I’ll be there in fifteen. Hang tight, okay?”

“Okay,” Miles says, his voice soft, barely audible. “Thanks, Stevie.”

“Of course,” Steve says.

 

 

Fifteen minutes later, Steve pulls up outside of Blake’s house. Miles is sitting on the curb, hugging his arms tight to his body against the cold November chill. 

Steve rolls down the window. “Hey Miles.”

“Hey Steve,” Miles says. 

“C’mon, get in,” Steve says. “You must be freezing.”

Miles obliges, getting up from the curb and getting into the passenger seat. He fumbles with his seatbelt for a few minutes, and Steve reaches across and buckles it for him.

“Thanks,” Miles says.

“No problem,” Steve says.

Steve starts driving, Miles silent in the seat next to him. The roads are dark, occasionally striped by the faint yellow-orange of the passing streetlights. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Steve catches Miles staring at him.

“What?” Steve asks.

Miles flushes and looks away. “Nothing,” he says. “I just —” He cuts himself off.

Steve waits.

“I missed you,” Miles says softly. “And I’m — I’m sorry for everything.”

Steve’s quiet for a moment.

“I missed you too,” he says.

 

 

 

Soon enough, Steve pulls up outside of Miles’ house.

“You need help getting to the door?” Steve asks.

“Couldn’t hurt,” Miles says.

Steve gets out of the car and helps Miles out of his own seat. They walk up the driveway together, with Steve’s hand wrapped around Miles’ waist, and Miles leaning on Steve’s shoulder. Steve lets go of him one they get up the porch steps.

“Thanks for driving me,” Miles says. “And I’m really sorry for waking you u—”

“No no, shut up Miles,” Steve says. “Stop apologizing.”

“But —” Miles starts.

“Seriously, it’s fine,” Steve says. “I’ve always got your back. You know that, right?”

Miles stares down at his shoes. “Right,” he says.

Then, out of nowhere, he draws Steve in for a tight hug. His chest feels warm against Steve’s in the cold winter air. 

“You do too much for me,” Miles says into his shoulder. 

“No, I don’t,” Steve says. 

After another minute, Steve pulls back. “I should go.”

Miles nods. “See you later?”

“Yeah,” Steve says. 

He’s halfway down the porch steps to his car when he turns back around one last time.

“Make sure you drink some water before you go to sleep, alright?” he calls.

Miles laughs from where he’s trying to fit his key into the lock. “Yes, Mom,” he says.

“Fuck off,” Steve says, but he’s laughing too.

\---

The next morning, Steve sends Miles a text. 

_you feeling okay after the party?_

_my head hurts like hell and i’m slowly dying but otherwise i’m fine,_ Miles sends two hours later. 

_you deserve it,_ Steve replies.

 _you’re so mean to me,_ Miles texts back. _:( :( :(_

Steve laughs.

\---

So things kind of just go back to normal after that. Steve picks Miles up in the morning, eats lunch with him in the cafeteria instead of alone in the library, and dicks around with him during his frees instead of getting any work done. 

Neither of them really try to talk about their argument, which is probably not the responsible thing to do since they never really resolved it, but for once, Steve can’t bring himself to care. They’re hanging out again, now, and that’s all that really matters. 

 

The closest thing they ever get to bringing it up again is when the early decision admission results come in. 

Steve gets his email and opens it before he can lose his nerve. 

_Dear Steve,_

_Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Boston College…_

“Holy shit,” Steve breathes. “Holy shit!”

His phone buzzes. 

_did u get in???_

_YES,_ Steve responds.

 _HOLY FUCK CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!_ Miles replies, and then sends another text that’s just a bunch of party popper emojis.

 _THANKS DUDE,_ Steve texts, and then, _wait did you get in?_

_nah i got deferred._

Steve stares at his phone for a second.

 _aw man, that sucks,_ he types slowly. 

_eh, it’s okay._

And that was the end of that. 

\---

The days pass by pretty quick and pretty slow at the same time, the way school always does, but Steve tries to enjoy the rest of his senior year as much as he can. Senioritis strikes early and often, especially after Steve gets into BC, and he tries to fight it off but there’s no use. He’ll be gone soon, anyway.

Come September, Steve’ll be out of this little town, headed to Boston. It’s kind of weird to think about. He’d thought he’d be excited to finally get the chance to leave, to finally get some independence, and he is, but he’s gonna miss this place. He’s gonna miss the town, the people, the shitty cafeteria mac and cheese, the erratic weather, the amazing bubble tea place on Main Street — everything.

So he tries to enjoy it all while he can, tries to enjoy it while he watches the time slip out of his hands like silk. December, January, February, March…

March has always been a temperamental month, he’s found, but it’s been getting pretty warm lately, even after that mini snow storm they had last week. Steve’s been thinking about breaking out his summer clothes again. 

He wonders if there’s still snow on the ground in Boston. 

\---

“It’s so nice out today,” Miles says. 

Steve makes a noise of agreement.

They’re both lying on the grass in the town park. The sun is out, shining bright in the clear blue sky, but there’s a good breeze too, so Steve’s not too hot. It’s nice. Steve closes his eyes against the warm sunlight. 

Miles pokes Steve’s cheek. “Falling asleep on me, are you?”

“Mmm,” Steve says. 

Miles pokes him again. Steve bats his hand away.

“Go away,” Steve mumbles. Miles giggles. 

“Hey, Steve,” Miles says suddenly, seriously, and there’s something in his voice that makes Steve open his eyes.

“What’s up?” Steve asks. 

Miles flops down on the grass next to him. “So you know the deadline for me to confirm where I’m gonna enroll for college is coming up soon, right?”

“Yeah,” Steve says. 

“So I visited a bunch of the places I got into over spring break, to see what they’re like,” Miles says. “Um, I went to Boston to go see BU and BC and —”

“You got into BC?” Steve says. 

Miles blinks. “Didn’t I tell you?”

“No,” Steve says. 

“Oh,” Miles says. “Well, I did. Guess they liked me enough to let me in after all.”

“Right,” Steve says slowly. “So you went to visit, and…?”

“Yeah, so I visited BU, and it seemed pretty nice, but when I went to BC, it was like, whoa,” Miles says. “I liked it so much better. Just the people, the student life, the courses, the campus… like, I could really see myself going there, you know?”

Miles pauses. Waiting for a response, maybe. Steve doesn’t trust himself to speak. 

“I talked to my parents about my options, obviously, and then yesterday, I did it,” Miles says carefully. “I’m going to BC.”

“You’re going to BC,” Steve repeats. “Because you want to, not because I’m going.”

Miles nods.

“Oh my god, we’re going to college together,” Steve says.

“You’re not mad, right?” Miles asks tentatively.

“Are you kidding me?” Steve says, and he can’t stop the huge smile from spreading across his face. “I’m gonna go to college with my best friend! Holy shit, dude, we’re gonna have so much fun.”

Miles grins at that. “Are we?” he says. 

“Definitely,” Steve replies. “Do you think we could like, request to get each other as our roommates?”

“Bro, I fucking hope so,” Miles says. “That would be amazing.”

“Yeah,” Steve says. 

The two of them fall quiet for a moment, lying on the grass.

“So you’re really not mad?” Miles asks.

“Of course not,” Steve says. “Dude, I always hoped that we’d end up at the same college. But like, because we both wanted to go there, not because I wanted to go there and then you decided to go there too just because you wanted to stay with me.” Steve gives his arm a light punch. “You fucking idiot.”

“Yeah, okay, that makes sense,” Miles admits, smiling.

It’s quiet again. 

“Fuck, I was so scared of leaving this place behind,” Steve says. “And of — of leaving you,” he adds. “But now you’re coming with me, so I got nothing to worry about. ”

Miles laughs softly. “What’d you even have to worry about in the first place, anyway?”

“I don’t know,” Steve mumbles, and then he shrugs. 

“You’re my best friend, Miles,” he says. “I don’t think I know how to do anything without you anymore.”

Miles doesn’t say anything to that. Steve stares up at the sky.

“Steve,” Miles says.

Steve turns his head and Miles kisses him.

It’s a fast kiss, close mouthed, and Steve barely has the time to register Miles’ lips pressing against his before he’s pulling back. 

“Sorry,” he says quickly. His face is bright red. “I didn’t — I don’t —”

“Shut up, Miles,” Steve says, and he pulls him in by his collar and kisses him back. 

\---

“Hey,” Miles says on the ride back home from town. “Just in case I didn’t make it clear, I really, really, like you.”

Steve smiles at that. “Oh yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Miles says.

“Well, I like you a lot too,” Steve says.

“That’s good,” Miles says, and he’s grinning like an idiot, but it’s not like Steve can judge, really. 

 

 

 

 

 

\---

Sometime in August, Steve’s phone buzzes.

_r u home?_

_yeah why?_ Steve writes back.

Someone honks their car horn out front. Like, really fucking lays on it.

Steve goes to the front door. There’s a car idling in his driveway. It looks vaguely familiar.

“No fucking way,” he says.

Steve pushes the door open and runs down the steps. 

Miles rolls down the window as Steve gets closer. “Hey Steve,” he says. There’s a huge grin on his face.

“Am I hallucinating or did you actually fucking learn how to drive?” Steve asks.

Miles digs his wallet out of his pocket and tosses it to Steve. “Took the road test yesterday,” he says smugly.

“And you didn’t tell me?” Steve says. He opens up Miles’ wallet and pulls out his license. “You little shit.”

“Well I was gonna,” Miles says. “But then I thought about the look on your face if I passed and just drove up to your house without telling you and, well.”

“I hate you,” Steve says, and then, “Dude, you look like you want to kill yourself in this photo.”

“Shut up, I know,” Miles says, reaching over and snatching his wallet and license out of Steve’s hand. “C’mon, hurry up and get in the car. I wanna go to town.”

“Alright, alright,” Steve says and gets in the car.

Miles is a pretty good driver, but Steve kind of knew that already.

Steve leans back in the passenger seat. “Wow, feels good to not be the one driving for once,” he says.

“Yeah, I bet it does,” Miles says, his eyes on the road. “Hey, remember when you said we could go on a road trip during the summer after I learned how to drive?”

Steve snorts. “It’s a little late for that now, don’t you think? We don’t even have a plan or an itinerary or anything, and we’ve got to go to school in a few weeks.”

Miles frowns. “That’s true, but…”

“I mean, we could drive up to Boston together instead,” Steve suggests.

“Yeah, okay,” Miles says. “Let’s do that.”

“And then maybe next summer we can go on a real road trip,” Steve says.

Miles tears his eyes from the road and looks at Steve. “Wait, really?” he asks.

“Why not?” Steve says. “Fuck it, it’ll be fun.”

“If you’re fucking with me —” Miles starts. 

“I’m not,” Steve laughs. 

“Promise?” Miles says. 

“Yeah,” Steve says. “Promise.” 

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](http://traviszajac.tumblr.com) \+ [twit](http://twitter.com/pavelzachas)


End file.
